School Grants Surprise Council

Members Say They Weren't Aware Of Option

June 03, 2004|By JIM FARRELL; Courant Staff Writer

EAST HARTFORD — The school system plans to offer all-day kindergarten in all of its elementary schools next year, but some town officials were perplexed when they learned about the source of funding for the expansion.

``Every year they sound the alarm but end up exactly where they want to be,'' said Mary Alice Dwyer Hughes, a member of the town council, referring to the school board.

The board on Monday is expected to approve a 2004-05 school budget that would use state and federal grants to pay for half of the system's 27 kindergarten teaching positions next year.

Dwyer Hughes said she is not upset by the development but was surprised that school officials did not make clear the potential use of grants while appealing for town funds during the budget preparation process.

Council Chairman Richard Kehoe concurred, saying that using grants to pay for kindergarten teachers ``simply was not mentioned as a possibility.''

Councilman George Franek went further.

``I thought it was like a bait-and-switch,'' Franek said.

The issue is of interest because the council three weeks ago made a series of cuts to the town's 2004-05 budget, bringing the property tax increase down to 4.5 percent.

Republicans on the council wanted to lower the tax rate increase below 4 percent by cutting another $500,000 from the school appropriation, which totals about $73.5 million for next year. Democrats objected, in part because of the desire for the district to realize its long-held goal of expanding all-day kindergarten.

As it turns out, the district appears to have enough money to fund several new positions, including seven custodian positions, two more security guards and department heads for English and mathematics, as well as the kindergarten teachers.

Superintendent Marion Martinez said the decision to use grants for kindergarten was made only recently and was based on several factors. She said the district did not learn about the size of some state grants until the end the legislative session.

In addition to immediate implications, Franek said he is worried about the long-term consequences of creating so many new positions.